Following the collapse of a dilapidated building in Delhi’s Satya Niketan, the Noida Authority has begun a survey of weak and structurally deteriorated buildings across the city to identify potential safety risks. Buildings in several villages and densely populated areas, including Sadarpur, Nithari, Mamura and Salarpur, are being inspected. Notices will be issued and necessary action taken where serious safety deficiencies are found.
As part of the exercise, the case of 128 flats in Sector 31 has also come under focus again. Located in C Block of Sector 31, the flats have been a concern for a long time because of their deteriorated condition. The Noida Authority has started the process of vacating the 128 flats and has issued notices to the occupants. According to officials, the condition of the walls, balconies and other parts of the buildings has deteriorated, increasing the risk of accidents, particularly during the rainy season.
The 128 flats have a long history. According to an Amar Ujala report, the Janta flats in Sector 31 were constructed and allotted in 1980 for the economically weaker section. In August 2025, the roof of one flat collapsed during rainfall. No one was present at the time, preventing a major accident. Following the incident, the authority, based on a preliminary inspection, declared all 128 flats in C Block dilapidated and appealed to residents to vacate them.
Subsequently, notices were pasted on the flats and announcements were made through loudspeakers asking residents to vacate the buildings. An authority survey also found additional and allegedly illegal construction in several flats. According to the report, some flats originally designed as one-room units had been expanded to accommodate two rooms. Officials believed such alterations could affect the structural strength of the buildings. Lack of regular maintenance was also linked to their deteriorated condition.
Following the recent building collapse in Delhi, the inspection of old and structurally weak buildings in Noida is being given greater attention. A five-storey building collapsed in Delhi’s Satya Niketan, with reports of seven deaths. Following the incident, administrative vigilance regarding dilapidated buildings and unauthorised construction has also increased in other cities across the Delhi-NCR region. In Noida, the authority has identified sensitive areas and initiated steps towards action.
Areas such as Sadarpur, Mamura, Nithari and Salarpur have seen rapid expansion of population and rental housing in recent years. Multi-storey buildings have emerged on limited plots in these areas. A recent report has also drawn attention to multi-storey buildings in the PG clusters of Mamura, Chhalera, Sadarpur and Rasulpur Nawada, where construction of six, seven and even nine storeys has reportedly been found in several locations despite lower floors being permitted according to local land-use provisions.
The safety of buildings in such areas cannot be determined solely by their age. Construction quality, materials used, alterations to the original building plan, additional floors or rooms, the condition of columns and beams, water leakage, the condition of roofs and regular maintenance are among the aspects that need to be examined. Therefore, the Noida Authority’s survey will involve not only identifying old buildings but also assessing their actual structural condition.
Emergency rescue operations present another challenge in densely populated areas. Where multi-storey buildings stand opposite each other along narrow lanes and electricity wires run overhead, fire brigades and ambulances may face difficulties reaching the site during a fire, building collapse or other disaster. A recent report has also raised questions about emergency exits and fire safety in some PG areas of Noida.
A major fire in Mamura in July 2026 also highlighted safety challenges in densely populated buildings. A large number of people had to be rescued after a fire broke out in a multi-storey residential building, and two people died. According to the report, the fire started after sparking in an electric bike. Against this backdrop, attention is also being directed towards the safety arrangements of multi-storey buildings in densely populated areas along with dilapidated structures.
The condition of the 128 flats in Sector 31 is the clearest example of the action being taken. Residents have been living in these flats for a long time, and suddenly vacating their homes is not easy for many families. The authority has advised residents to vacate the buildings on safety grounds, but the affected families also face the question of alternative accommodation. According to available reports, employees associated with various government departments, including BSNL, the Postal Department and the Police Department, are also living in these flats.
The next stage of the action therefore extends beyond issuing notices. Along with vacating the buildings, the situation of the families living there and the time provided to move to a safe location will also need to be considered. Allowing people to continue living in a dilapidated building can pose a risk, while sudden evacuation without safe rehabilitation or alternative accommodation can create another difficulty for affected families.
A major challenge before the Noida Authority is to ensure that every building identified in the survey undergoes a technical assessment. Falling plaster and a loss of structural strength do not represent the same condition. With the help of experts, it can be determined which houses need to be vacated immediately, which buildings can be made safe through repairs and which structures need to be removed or reconstructed completely.
Water leakage in old buildings can also become a serious problem for structural strength. Continuous rainfall during the monsoon increases moisture in roofs and walls. If construction is already weak, prolonged exposure to water can damage different parts of a building. This makes inspections of dilapidated buildings particularly important during the rainy season.
Unauthorised construction will also remain an important aspect of the survey. If an additional room, floor, balcony or heavy structure is added to a building constructed according to the original plan, the load on the structure can increase. In the case of the Sector 31 Janta flats, the authority’s survey had also found alterations to the original structure and additional construction in some flats.
Rapid population growth and demand for rental housing in Noida have further complicated the issue. A large number of students, salaried employees and workers from other cities look for affordable PG accommodation or rented rooms. In some areas, constructing more floors on small plots can therefore become economically attractive. However, if building regulations and structural safety are disregarded, the same arrangement can later become a serious risk.
The action in Noida following the Delhi incident is being viewed in this broader building-safety context. The challenge for the administration is to identify buildings at risk before an accident occurs rather than acting only after an incident. If a building has serious cracks, leaning sections, weak columns, damaged roofs or other structural deficiencies, residents can be alerted in time.
The survey is also relevant for local residents. People living in old buildings sometimes consider cracks or falling plaster normal and ignore them. However, if the structure of a building is undergoing continuous changes, an expert assessment is necessary. Painting or repairing plaster alone does not resolve every structural problem.
The authority’s survey is also expected to create a record of buildings that require special monitoring in the future. This could help the administration identify areas with higher risks during rainfall or a natural disaster. Such records can also be useful for planning emergency services.
For now, the focus of the identification and notice process in Sadarpur, Mamura and other surrounding areas is on preventing potential accidents. The case of the 128 Janta flats in Sector 31, already declared dilapidated, highlights the seriousness of buildings in such a condition. After the roof collapse in 2025, the authority had already warned residents about the flats, and the process of vacating them is now being taken forward.
The action initiated in Noida following the Delhi building collapse is also a test of the city’s building safety system. The survey, if it proceeds beyond issuing notices to technical assessments, identification of unauthorised construction, repairs or reconstruction and safe arrangements for affected families, could help prevent future accidents. Attention is now focused on how many buildings are identified as being at risk in the survey and what level of action the authority takes against them.
